Need for Speed Unbound

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Need for Speed Unbound
Need for Speed Unbound.png
Cover art featuring A$AP Rocky's modified Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 [1]
Developer(s) Criterion Games
Publisher(s) Electronic Arts
Director(s) Kieran Crimmins
Producer(s) Danny Isaac
Designer(s) Bill Lane
Programmer(s)
  • Alex Bailey
  • Richard Geldard
Artist(s) Darren White
Writer(s) Kristen McGorry
Composer(s) Brodinski
Series Need for Speed
Engine Frostbite
Platform(s)
ReleaseDecember 2, 2022
Genre(s) Racing
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Need for Speed Unbound (stylised as NFS Unbound) is a 2022 racing video game developed by Criterion Games and published by Electronic Arts. It was released for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on December 2, 2022. [2] Unbound is the twenty-fifth instalment in the Need for Speed series, and the successor to 2019's Heat . It is the first game in the series to be developed by Criterion since 2013's Rivals (a collaboration with then-lead studio Ghost Games), and the studio's first as the main developer of the series since 2012's Need for Speed: Most Wanted .

Contents

Unbound features an art style that merges artistic elements like cel-shading and graffiti art with the more realistic art style of other Need for Speed games. [3] [4] The game takes place in the fictional "Lakeshore City", which is inspired by Chicago, Illinois. [5]

Upon release, the console versions received generally positive reviews from critics, while the PC version was criticised. Though Unbound's overall reception was an improvement over that of the recent Ghost Games-developed titles, retail sales were down 64% compared to its predecessor. [6]

Plot

In Lakeshore City, the player (female player voiced by Elizabeth Grullon, male player voiced by Ian Nelson) and their friend and partner Jasmine/Yaz (portrayed by Ashleigh LaThrop) refurbish an old junker car in their mechanic shop owned by their mentor Rydell (Dwayne Barnes). After winning a couple of street races, Yaz has a disagreement with Rydell over a car and grows tired of being stuck in the same job daily, and wishes to do something better. She tells the player she was contacted by her friend in the foster system, Alec about some jobs involving delivering vehicles, challenging the authority of the city's police force under the control of Mayor Morgan Stevenson (voiced by Debra Wilson).

One night after a couple of races, the player completes a delivery mission but doesn't find anyone at the drop-off point, and Yaz and Rydell don't answer their calls. Instead, the alarm goes off at Rydell's Rydes. In a hurry and assuming the worst, the Player races back to Rydell's Rydes to witness it being raided of all the cars Rydell was working on. Confronted by both Rydell and the Player, Yaz denies being involved but drives off with the car after Rydell accuses her of theft and expresses his disappointment.

Two years later, street racing in Lakeshore has declined, and Rydell's Rydes has been struggling to remain open after the incident. The player makes a living driving people, one of whom is Tess (Jennifer Sun Bell), whom the player goes with to a street race meet-up, later helping her escape from cops. Yaz suddenly shows up and the player discovers that she is part of the crew that stole the rides and is responsible for the resurgence of street racing in Lakeshore. She announces The Grand, a huge street race where the winner will receive a large amount of money. After hearing the player's story and being introduced to Rydell, Tess proposes bankrolling the garage and rides as well as guiding the player in their efforts to qualify and get revenge on Yaz and win the car back, in return for making money betting on and against them. The player then does several deliveries for Tess, many of which they are suspicious of but don't question due to the money.

After winning the first week's qualifier, the player confronts and challenges Yaz to the pink slip in The Grand. Tess records the interaction and ensures that Yaz accepts the condition of relinquishing the car on the final race, and the video goes viral. After the end of the second qualifier, the player again confronts Yaz, and Tess then reveals the truth: she's been making money betting on and against the player, but for Alec. All of the deliveries the player had done earlier were on his behalf, using her as the middleman. Tess informs both of them that Alec wants to cut a deal with all three where neither the player nor Yaz wins but both will be paid handsomely for throwing the race. Outraged, Yaz leaves to confront Alec. Disgusted with Tess's actions, the player cuts ties with her.

Yaz visits the garage afterward, where she confirms to the player what Tess said was true, but she didn't want to accept the conditions and came to warn Rydell and the player. Reconciling for the moment, Yaz proposes relieving Alec of all his car collection, which he acquired illegally through Tess and the player, including the ones stolen from Rydell's garage, and delivering them to their rightful owners. She mentions that the player still has to defeat her in the Grand to win back the car. The player finally wins The Grand and gets back their car. Tess reveals she was never working for Alec but was just making money off whatever bets and races she could get her hands on, and now that they won, he is ruined and thanks the player for the money. The player and Yaz drive back to the garage, where Yaz reconciles with Rydell. Now all together again, they prepare for more adventures to come.

Gameplay

Need for Speed Unbound is a racing game set in a fictional city called Lakeshore City, which is based on Chicago. It features an open world environment and gameplay similar to that of previous entries in the series, being mainly focused around street racing. [7] [8] The "heat system" from Need for Speed Heat returns in Unbound, where the player attempts to gain notoriety among the police. [5] Additionally, the game features various forms of customization such as installing various body kits, adding a splitter, and even completely removing the front or rear bumpers. [9]

Development and release

In February 2020, it was announced that the development of future Need for Speed games would return to Criterion Games from Ghost Games, as the studio was referred back to EA Gothenburg. [10] Criterion Games previously worked on Hot Pursuit (2010) and Most Wanted (2012). The game was originally going to be released in 2021 but was pushed back to 2022 as the team was temporarily reassigned to assist the development of Battlefield 2042 . [11] In May 2022, EA announced that they had merged Codemasters Cheshire into Criterion Games, creating a larger team to work on the game. [12]

A few days prior to the reveal, fans noticed that EA had accidentally revealed the name of their upcoming Need for Speed title early on their website. [13] Additionally, fans also noticed that promotional images of the game had been released early on the Japanese retailer Neowing's website. [14] Unbound was formally revealed on October 6, 2022, in a trailer that showcased the game's "street art" art style, as well as featuring the rapper A$AP Rocky, who is set to have his own mode in the game as well as have some of his music featured along with AWGE. [15] [16] [17] EA has stated that the game will receive free post-launch updates. [18]

Unbound also received a special collaborative deluxe release with UK-based streetwear and lifestyle brand Palace. At an additional cost to the base game, NFS Unbound Palace Edition includes various branded bonuses, including four cars with Palace liveries and 20 items of Palace-branded clothing for the player's in-game character to wear. [19] [20]

Need for Speed Unbound had an early access release for its Palace Edition on November 29, 2022, with EA Play members (including Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members) being able to try it for ten hours and EA Play Pro members having unlimited early access. The game was released officially on December 2, 2022. [21]

Reception

Need for Speed Unbound received "generally favorable" reviews from critics for the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions, while the PC version received "mixed or average" reviews, according to review aggregator website Metacritic. [23] [22] [24]

During the 26th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Need for Speed Unbound for "Racing Game of the Year". [37]

Unbound was the 17th best-selling retail game in the United Kingdom in its week of release. Sales of the game were down 64% when compared with its predecessor Need for Speed Heat. [6]

Related Research Articles

Need for Speed (NFS) is a racing game franchise published by Electronic Arts and currently developed by Criterion Games. The series generally centers around illegal street racing, and tasks players to complete various types of races while evading the local law enforcement in police pursuits. Need for Speed is one of EA's oldest franchises not published under their EA Sports brand.

<i>Need for Speed: Underground</i> 2003 racing video game

Need for Speed: Underground is a 2003 racing video game and the seventh installment in the Need for Speed series following Hot Pursuit 2 (2002). It was developed by EA Black Box and published by Electronic Arts. Three different versions of the game were produced: one for consoles and Microsoft Windows, and another for the Game Boy Advance. An arcade version developed by Global VR and co-published by Konami came out two years later.

<i>Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2</i> 2002 video game

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 is a 2002 racing video game, the sixth installment in the Need for Speed series following Porsche Unleashed (2000) and the direct sequel to Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit (1998). It was developed by EA Black Box for the PlayStation 2, and a distinctly different version by EA Seattle for GameCube, Xbox, and Microsoft Windows. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 features cars from various high-performance and exotic car manufacturers. Players can compete in races using these cars, or opt to play as a police officer and pursue speeders.

<i>Need for Speed: Underground 2</i> 2004 racing video game

Need for Speed: Underground 2 is a 2004 racing video game developed by EA Black Box and published by Electronic Arts. It is the eighth installment in the Need for Speed series and the direct sequel to Need for Speed: Underground. It was developed for Windows, GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS versions were developed by Pocketeers, and a PlayStation Portable version, titled Need for Speed: Underground Rivals, was developed by Team Fusion. Another version for mobile phones was also developed by Ideaworks Game Studio. Like its predecessor, it was also commercially successful, selling around 11 million copies worldwide and breaking sales records in the United Kingdom.

<i>Burnout 3: Takedown</i> 2004 video game

Burnout 3: Takedown is a 2004 racing video game developed by Criterion Games and published by Electronic Arts. It is the third instalment in the Burnout series, which is characterised by fast-paced arcade racing. A staple of the series is the use of boost, earned through risky driving, to rapidly increase a car's speed. The central mechanic introduced in Burnout 3 is Takedowns, which allow players to slam their opponents until they crash. Takedowns work in conjunction with the boost system by filling up and extending the boost meter. Aside from standard circuit races, the game features modes focused on performing Takedowns on rival vehicles and causing monetary damage at a junction occupied with traffic. Each game variant is featured in a single-player campaign mode called World Tour, which serves as the primary method for unlocking new and faster cars. The game supports both online and split-screen multiplayer.

Criterion Games is a British video game developer based in Guildford. Founded in January 1996 as a division of Criterion Software, it was owned by Canon Inc. until Criterion Software was sold to Electronic Arts in October 2004. Many of the studio's titles were built on the RenderWare engine, which Criterion Software developed.

<i>Need for Speed: Carbon</i> 2006 racing video game

Need for Speed: Carbon is a 2006 racing video game and the tenth installment in the Need for Speed series. Developed by EA Black Box, Rovio Mobile and published by Electronic Arts, it was released on October 31, 2006, for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox, Xbox 360, GameCube, Windows, and Mac OS X, and on November 19, 2006 as a launch title for the Wii and in 2008 for arcade cabinets. A portable version, Need for Speed: Carbon – Own the City, was released for the PlayStation Portable, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS. and Zeebo, While it featured similar gameplay to the console version, the portable versions included new or modified gameplay elements, a different setting and storyline, and a different selection of teammates.

<i>Need for Speed: ProStreet</i> 2007 racing video game

Need for Speed: ProStreet is a 2007 racing video game developed by EA Black Box and published by Electronic Arts. It is the eleventh installment in the Need for Speed series and a follow-up to Need for Speed: Carbon (2006). Unlike its immediate predecessors, which focused on the contemporary illegal street racing scene, ProStreet focuses on legal circuit races that take place on closed tracks. The game blends elements of both sim and arcade racing games, requiring players to customize and tune cars for various race modes. Most races take place in real-world locations such as the Portland International Raceway, Mondello Park, and Autopolis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frostbite (game engine)</span> Game engine developed by DICE

Frostbite is a game engine developed by DICE, designed for cross-platform use on Microsoft Windows, seventh generation game consoles PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, eighth generation game consoles PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch and ninth generation game consoles PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, in addition to usage in the now defunct cloud streaming service Google Stadia.

Burnout is a series of racing games developed by Criterion Games. The first two games were published by Acclaim Entertainment, while later instalments were published by Electronic Arts.

<i>Burnout Paradise</i> 2008 open world racing video game

Burnout Paradise is a 2008 racing video game developed by Criterion Games and published by Electronic Arts for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. It was also released on the PlayStation Store and via Xbox Live Marketplace's Games on Demand. It was later added to the libraries of Greatest Hits and Platinum Hits titles and was made backward compatible with the Xbox One in November 2016. It is the first game in the Burnout series to be released on Microsoft Windows.

<i>Need for Speed: Undercover</i> 2008 racing video game

Need for Speed: Undercover is a 2008 racing video game, and is the twelfth installment in the Need for Speed series following Need for Speed: ProStreet (2007). Developed by EA Black Box and published by Electronic Arts, it was released on November 18, 2008, for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS, and then on a number of mobile phone platforms in 2009.

<i>Need for Speed: Shift</i> 2009 racing video game

Need for Speed: Shift is a 2009 racing video game developed by Slightly Mad Studios and published by Electronic Arts for PlayStation 3, Windows, and Xbox 360. Developed by EA Bright Light, a distinct version of the game was simultaneously released for PlayStation Portable. Two mobile adaptations were developed by IronMonkey Studios for Java-compatible devices and iOS and released in 2009, with the latter version subsequently being made available for several other mobile devices. Need for Speed: Shift is the thirteenth installment in the Need for Speed franchise.

<i>Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit</i> (2010 video game) 2010 racing video game

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit is a 2010 racing video game developed by Criterion Games and published by Electronic Arts for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Microsoft Windows, iOS, Android, webOS, and Windows Phone. The Wii version was developed by Exient Entertainment. Hot Pursuit is the sixteenth Need for Speed title and was released in November 2010, with digital distribution versions released within December 2010. The game serves as a revival of the Hot Pursuit name first used in 1998's Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit.

<i>Shift 2: Unleashed</i> 2011 racing video game

Shift 2: Unleashed is a racing video game, the seventeenth installment of the Need for Speed series. It was developed by Slightly Mad Studios and published by Electronic Arts. The game serves as a direct sequel to Need for Speed: Shift and expands on many aspects that were introduced in the original. Shift 2: Unleashed was released worldwide during March and April 2011.

<i>Need for Speed: The Run</i> 2011 racing video game

Need for Speed: The Run is a 2011 racing video game developed by EA Black Box and published by Electronic Arts. It is the eighteenth installment in the Need for Speed series and is Black Box's final entry in the series before the studio's closure in April 2013. Following an extensive marketing campaign, the game was released on November 15, 2011, for PlayStation 3, Windows, Xbox 360, Nintendo 3DS and Wii.

<i>Need for Speed: Most Wanted</i> (2012 video game) 2012 open world racing video game

Need for Speed: Most Wanted is a 2012 racing game developed by Criterion Games and published by Electronic Arts. Most Wanted is the nineteenth title in the Need for Speed series and was released worldwide for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation Vita, iOS and Android, beginning in North America in 2012. A Wii U version, under the title Need for Speed: Most Wanted U, was released in 2013. Like its predecessor, the 2010 Hot Pursuit title, the game is a revival of the original 2005 Most Wanted title.

<i>Need for Speed Rivals</i> 2013 racing video game developed by Ghost Games and Criterion Games

Need for Speed Rivals is a 2013 racing video game developed in collaboration between Ghost Games and Criterion Games, and published by Electronic Arts. It is the twentieth installment in the Need for Speed series, and the debut title for Ghost Games.

<i>Need for Speed</i> (2015 video game) 2015 racing video game

Need for Speed is a 2015 online racing video game developed by Ghost Games and published by Electronic Arts. The game was released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in November 2015, while a Windows version released in March 2016. It is the twenty-second Need for Speed installment, and serves as a reboot of the franchise.

<i>Need for Speed Heat</i> 2019 racing video game developed by Ghost Games

Need for Speed Heat is a 2019 racing video game developed by Ghost Games and published by Electronic Arts for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. It is the twenty-fourth installment in the Need for Speed series and commemorates the series' 25th anniversary.

References

  1. ↑ Chow, Aaron (November 8, 2022). "Take a First Look at A$AP Rocky's Real-Life 'Need for Speed' Mercedes-Benz 190E". Hypebeast. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  2. ↑ Good, Owen S.; McWhertor, Michael (October 6, 2022). "Need for Speed Unbound leaves last-gen consoles behind, emphasizes style and speed". Polygon . Archived from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  3. ↑ Good, Owen S. (October 5, 2022). "EA's new Need for Speed leaks, looks full-on anime". Polygon . Archived from the original on October 5, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  4. ↑ Fingas, Jon. "'Need for Speed Unbound' revives the racing series on December 2nd". Engadget . Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  5. 1 2 Channell, Mike (October 7, 2022). "Gaming: Need for Speed Unbound arrives this December". Top Gear . BBC. Archived from the original on October 7, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  6. 1 2 Dring, Christopher (December 4, 2022). "Did you know a new Need for Speed came out last week?". Gameindustry.biz. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  7. ↑ Kaser, Rachel (October 6, 2022). "EA reveals Need For Speed Unbound, coming in December". VentureBeat . Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  8. ↑ Allsop, Ken (October 6, 2022). "Need for Speed Unbound release date set for EA racing game". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  9. ↑ "You'll Be Able to Build and Customize Pretty Ridiculous Rides in NFS Unbound". Jalopnik. October 25, 2022. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  10. ↑ Dring, Christopher (February 12, 2020). "EA will move Need for Speed development back to Criterion". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on July 29, 2022. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  11. ↑ Good, Owen S. (March 1, 2021). "EA delays new Need for Speed, shifts Criterion to support Battlefield 6". Polygon. Archived from the original on September 3, 2022. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  12. ↑ Leone, Matt (May 12, 2022). "EA combines two studios to make new Need for Speed games". Polygon . Archived from the original on May 12, 2022. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Need for Speed Unbound leaks ahead of reveal next Thursday". Digital Trends. October 4, 2022. Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Se filtran las primeras imágenes de Need for Speed: Unbound y desvelan su particular estilo anime". Gizmodo en Español (in Spanish). October 6, 2022. Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  15. ↑ Bailey, Kat (October 6, 2022). "Exclusive: Need for Speed Unbound Has Finally Been Revealed, And It Looks Very Different". IGN . Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  16. ↑ Sadler, Armon (October 6, 2022). "A$AP Rocky To Appear In 'Need For Speed Unbound' Video Game". VIBE.com. Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Need for Speed Unbound announced for PS5, Xbox Series, and PC". Gematsu. October 6, 2022. Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  18. ↑ Wheeler, C. J. (October 6, 2022). "Need For Speed Unbound officially unveiled, skids onto PC in December". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Buy Need for Speed™ Unbound Palace Edition | Xbox". Xbox.com. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  20. ↑ Nair, Rupesh (November 2, 2022). "Need for Speed Unbound to Have Streetwear at Its Core, Palace Edition to Be Centered Around the Popular Clothing Brand". IGN India. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  21. ↑ Borthwick, Ben (October 26, 2022). "Need for Speed Unbound – release date, pre-order bonuses & more". VideoGamer. Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  22. 1 2 "Need for Speed Unbound for PC Reviews". Metacritic . Archived from the original on December 14, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  23. 1 2 "Need for Speed Unbound for PlayStation 5". Metacritic . Archived from the original on December 12, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  24. 1 2 "Need for Speed Unbound for Xbox Series X Reviews". Metacritic . Archived from the original on December 12, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  25. ↑ Franzese, Tomas (December 7, 2022). "Need for Speed Unbound review: compelling hook elevates stylish racer". Digital Trends . Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  26. ↑ Robinson, Martin (December 9, 2022). "Need for Speed: Unbound review - the best Need for Speed in a generation". Eurogamer . Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  27. ↑ Shea, Brian (December 12, 2022). "Need For Speed Unbound Review - Turning A Tight Corner". Game Informer . Archived from the original on December 13, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  28. ↑ Wakeling, Richard (December 6, 2022). "Need For Speed Unbound Review - Comic Book Racing". GameSpot . Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  29. ↑ Towell, Justin (December 2, 2022). "Need for Speed Unbound review: "A breathtakingly fast open-world street racer"". GamesRadar+ . Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
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  31. ↑ Rodríguez, David (December 2, 2022). "Análisis de Need for Speed Unbound: mucha calle, acelerones en la buena dirección y algún que otro derrape" [Analysis of Need for Speed Unbound: a lot of street, acceleration in the right direction and the occasional drift]. HobbyConsolas (in European Spanish). Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  32. ↑ Reilly, Luke (December 9, 2022). "Need for Speed Unbound Review". IGN . Archived from the original on December 10, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  33. ↑ Iwaniuk, Phil (December 7, 2022). "Need for Speed Unbound review". PC Gamer . Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  34. ↑ Tailby, Stephen (December 5, 2022). "Review: Need for Speed Unbound (PS5) - This Stylish Arcade Racer Has Substance to Match". Push Square . Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  35. ↑ Shaver, Morgan (December 6, 2022). "Need for Speed Unbound review: Shifting into reverse". Shacknews . Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  36. ↑ Annika, Bavendiek (December 2, 2022). "Need for Speed im Test: Unbound kann viel mehr als nur Comic-Effekte" [Need for Speed in the test: Unbound can do much more than just comic effects]. GamePro DE (in German). Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  37. ↑ "2023 Awards Category Details Racing Game of the Year". interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
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